"Patriotism
means to stand by the country. It does NOT mean to stand by the President
or any other public official save exactly to the degree in which he himself
stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently
serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent
that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the
country." --Theodore Roosevelt

Recently
a number of very prominent talk show hosts were eviscerated by their faithful
listeners. Some tap-danced and spun their way from the uncommon and uncomfortable,
some failed ugly in vain dream quest efforts to defend the indefensible.

Those
attempting to defend the indefensible Bush administration Dubai port flap
were confronted with a harsh reality check. Even the most loyal and faithful
of ‘dittoheads’ eschew the gospel according to their ‘masters’ when those
masters are flat out wrong.

‘Good
soldier’ loyalists struggling to carry the administration’s water on the
UAE port controversy are finding they are doing so with a very leaky bucket.

It is
moderately interesting that the same Teddy Roosevelt quote I opened this
criticism of the Bush administration I have used in past criticisms of
the previous Clinton administration.

To suggest
that anyone who does not agree with the weak, counterintuitive arguments
of the administration is just ‘stupid’ or lacks the intelligence of their
‘betters’ is beyond contemptible and an insult to an audience which has
demonstrated an extraordinary capacity to consume excrement without acquiring
a taste for it. Now, apparently Rush, and Rush wannabes require that the
faithful must abandon common sense, analytical thought, and comply with
the gospel according to ‘W’ notwithstanding the inherent dangers and errors.
Lord have mercy on the poor misguided, disloyal fool who dares to observe
‘the Emperor has no clothes’.

And
THIS folks is the systemic problem with the perpetual acrimonious shouting
match between the ‘us’ and the ‘them’.

Aaron
Tippet and Buddy Brock wrote ‘You’ve Got To Stand for Something’ in which
they sing, “You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything…”

My mantra
has been (and remains), “It’s not a question of WHO is right or wrong
but WHAT is right or wrong that matters.”

Political
analysis and commentary has regressed into a contact sport of polarized
bitterness…it is a blood sport between left and right, liberal and conservative,
democrats and republicans, ‘us’ and ‘them’. It is unhealthy, disingenuous
and a symptom that has become the disease.

Ronald
Reagan remains the gold standard for a reason. He was rock solid and consistent
because his policies were not tainted by business, professional or personal
agendas. Reagan built policy and consensus on a foundation of principles.
With Reagan, even those who disagreed with policy could and did respect
his principles and his consistency to those principles.

When P&O moved
to sell their port operations they would have reviewed all contracts
and terms with a bunch of port owners in several states.

That had to happen

o To determine
if they could transfer the contracts and terms to the purchaser,
o And to establish a value for the sale.

Likewise for
labor agreements and ship owners at all ports impacted.

There had to
have been a LOT of communication (in writing and face to face).

Simply
stated this ‘process’ (because it is not an event but a process) had to
have started many many months past. So how come this flap is so startling
and ‘new’ to multiple parties suffering ‘selective memory loss’? To the
best of my knowledge we haven’t heard ‘Jack’ from port owners, ship owners,
or stevedores (or their unions)…all of whom have a significant stake in
what does or doesn’t happen.

Two
thousand years ago an Athenian historian (Thucycdides) said, “The meaning
of words had no longer the same relation to things, but was changed by
them as they thought proper. Reckless daring was held to be loyal courage;
prudent delay was the excuse of a coward; moderation was the disguise
of unmanly weakness; to know everything was to do nothing.”

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What
we desperately need (like breath) is a return to common sense. Right is
right and wrong is wrong, and no amount of equivocation or revisionism
can or will alter the truth.

As Roosevelt
said, "Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does NOT mean to stand
by the President or any other public official save exactly to the degree
in which he himself stands by the country…”

"Geoff Metcalf is a nationally syndicated radio
talk show host for TALK AMERICA
and a veteran media performer. He has had an eclectic professional background
covering a wide spectrum of radio, television, magazine, and newspapers.
A former Green Beret and retired Army officer he is in great demand as
a speaker. Visit Geoff's